Commonsense Philanthropy

November 30, 2008 at 4:25 pm · Filed under Uncategorized

The federal government bailout of banks and automobile companies begs the question of who is helping the millions of others suffering from the downturn in the economy.  We see pictures of depleted food pantries, longer lines of people seeking aid, and reports of state and local budget shortfalls.  How will these needs be addressed?

Americans are a generous and giving people.  Whether it’s responding to natural disasters, filling a Salvation Army kettle, or, on a grander scale, foundations donating millions to worthy causes, we seek to help at home and around the world.  The more than one million nonprofits and thousands of foundations provide critical human and monetary support.  However, business as usual is not the answer now.

These uncertain economic times call for courageous and unconventional grantmaking.  The book, Grassroots Philanthropy, Field Notes of a Maverick Grantmaker offers practical advice on how to put the focus on people and communities in need instead of on grantmaking processes and paper pushing.  Bill Somerville, a respected nonprofit executive and philanthropic leader, and author Fred Setterberg set out five principles for “bolder, braver philanthropy.”  They include identifying excellent people and programs, providing grants quickly, taking chances on new ideas and projects, focusing on ideas instead of problems, and, taking initiative.  None of these is startling or revolutionary.  Mr. Somerville’s examples illustrating his principles are down to earth and doable.  These principles provide commonsense ways for foundations to continue to be relevant and effective.

I don’t know Bill Somerville, but his reputation and success with his own foundation, Philanthropic Ventures Foundation, suggest that his thoughts and approaches should be taken seriously by his peers.   His giving philosophy earns kudos from me.  He stated that “[w]e pride ourselves on dismantling bureaucracy, acting with decisive speed, and striving always to immerse ourselves in the heart of community life.”  Words that both foundations and charities should live by.

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SEASON OF HOPE

November 17, 2008 at 9:40 am · Filed under Uncategorized

The presidential election is over.  The frantic pace, the campaign rhetoric and the fear mongering are fading from memory.  What remains is the promise of a revitalized America, renewed respect abroad and a re-commitment.of Democrats and Republicans to work together to solve our serious problems.  The promise of the leadership of Barack Obama, Joe Biden and their team fill me with hope.
 

In the thirteen days since the election, I’ve reflected on the emotions of that day – tears, cheers and wonder at the election of Barack Obama and all that it means for America.  It was truly a wonderful site to see the millions of people around the country celebrating.  One memory continues to impress me – Jesse Jackson standing in the middle of the Grant Park crowd with tears streaming down his face.  This tireless leader and champion of civil and human rights chose to witness quietly the significance of the day.   His efforts had paid off for someone else – an African American in the next generation, poised to build on and extend the dreams and hopes of prior leaders, marchers and supporters. 
 

Come January 20, a new era in America begins.  Let all of us continue to do our part – be engaged in our local communities, advocate for change at all levels of government, seek peace, justice and fairness.  President Barack Obama can’t do it alone!

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Doing Your Part

October 30, 2008 at 9:56 am · Filed under Uncategorized

A nation is formed by the willingness of each of us to share in the responsibility for upholding the common good.

 A government is invigorated when each one of us is willing to participate in shaping the future of this nation.

In this election year, we must define the common good and begin again to shape a common future.  Let each person do his or her part.  If one citizen is unwilling  to participate, all of us are going to suffer.  For the American ideal, though it is shared by all of us, is realized in each of us.
 

The above words were spoken by Barbara Jordan during her keynote address to the Democratic National Convention in 1976.  What was true then is equally true in 2008. 

In six days, we get another opportunity to participate in American democracy.  We have a “do over” in terms of charting a new course for our country and for ourselves.

Through my consulting practice, I encourage nonprofit organizations to recognize the importance of participating actively in our democracy and to exercise that power in a variety of ways.   Large or small – national or local, all charities, associations and foundations can make a difference – in people’s lives, in the communities in which we live and, in our country and our world.  The power that we hold can be unleashed through advocacy, lobbying and mobilizing supporters.  I believe that the nonprofit sector also has an obligation to reach out to the public to encourage their active participation in our government – starting with voting.   

For the next six days I encourage everyone to do what you can to “get out the vote.”  Talk to family, friends and neighbors.  Encourage employers to be generous with voting leave time.  The message – do not be dissuaded by long lines, bad weather or doubts about the value of your vote.  Your vote does matter – to you, to your candidates and to your country.

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Actions Speak Louder Than Words

August 4, 2008 at 5:19 pm · Filed under Uncategorized

Nonprofits say advocacy is important, yet limited time and resources prevent a significant focus on it.  This is not a new finding, but one that was recently confirmed by a survey by the Johns Hopkins University Nonprofit Listening Post Project.  The Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest (CLPI) partnered with Johns Hopkins in this effort to understand more fully the motivations and barriers that charities and other nonprofits face in their attempts to engage in advocacy and lobbying.

The survey highlighted other barriers to greater involvement in the public policy process at federal, state and local levels, including confusion about the law, lack of board member support and constraints placed by foundations and other funders.  

The good news is that 90 percent of the survey respondents recognize that nonprofits have a duty to advocate for public policies related to their missions.  Of this same group, 73 percent indicated that they had actually engaged in some form of advocacy or lobbying during the past year.  And, fewer still said they worked on public policy at least once a month. 

What needs to be done to balance the stated importance of lobbying with a matching level of active engagement in the democratic process?   First of all, we need to make “lobbying” and “advocacy” noble words.  Lobbying, in particular, continues to connote back room deals and unethical practices.  Unfortunately, the legacy of Jack Abramoff lives on in the reluctance of many charities to characterize what they do as lobbying and to make it a core function of their organizations.  Second, more and regular training on nonprofit lobbying laws, regulations and practices need to occur.  Training is being done by groups like CLPI and the Alliance for Justice, but lack of substantive funding makes it impossible to provide assistance to all nonprofits that need it, especially small and mid-sized groups.  Third, commitment to lobbying and advocacy needs to come from the top.  Boards of directors, executives and funders must recognize their leadership roles in promoting civic action as a critical means toward meeting organizational missions.  Lobbying for the public’s interests should be a part of a charity’s interest.  Fourth, nonprofits that are actively engaged in lobbying should be more vocal promoting its value, touting advocacy successes and encouraging other nonprofits to become more involved. 

While the voice of the nonprofit sector in the development of laws and policies needs to be stronger, there are many public policy successes that have occurred over the course of history.  Major accomplishments such as disease research, tobacco control, environmental safeguards, civil rights, worker protections, etc, etc came about because of the active involvement of a variety of charities, associations and other nonprofits working to advance policies that have made individual lives better and our country stronger.

To read the full report, “Nonprofit America: A Force for Democracy?” go to http://www.jhu.edu/listeningpost/news.

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Lobbying Can Be Honorable

June 24, 2008 at 4:46 pm · Filed under Uncategorized

Thanks to a few bad apples using dishonest tactics and motivated by greed, the whole lobbying profession is under attack.  The campaigns of both presumptive presidential candidates have vowed not to take campaign dollars from lobbyists — no matter who they are or what they lobby on.  As a lobbyist who has worked for several reputable nonprofit organizations promoting public interest  policies and legislation, I find this offensive.  Not only are the candidates snubbing their noses at the First Amendment, they are also dismissing a whole profession.  Don’t think they’d stop taking money from bankers, stockbrokers and accountants, eventhough individuals in those professions have breeched public trust, committed crimes and done time.

An opinion article in the current edition The Chronicle of Philanthropy, written by David Cohen and Larry Ottinger raises important issues related to lobby disclosure, ethics and lobbying culture.  The article titled “How to Guarantee Respect for Public Interest Lobbyists” references a proposed set of ethical principles developed by the Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest (CLPI).  These principles focus on helping charities and other nonprofit groups demonstrate openness, credibility and service to the public good.  CLPI is encouraging lobbyists of all persuasions to adhere to these smart practices.

The four principles are: 1) public interest lobbying must add civic value; 2) this lobbying must be inclusive; 3) must be credible, trustworthy and based on factual information; and, 4) must be multifaceted and adaptive, utilizing a variety of advocacy tools. 

More on the specific ethical principles in a later post.  In the meantime, read the full ethical principles’ document at http://www.clpi.org.

 

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Turning Tables on Gov’t – Sunshine on Data

January 22, 2008 at 11:43 am · Filed under Uncategorized

Seems like there is a lot of secret government information collected in Washington, the country and the world with no apologies or compunction to share.  At the same time, there are calls for more openness and transparency for charities and nonprofit organizations.  Obviously, there is a need to collect sensitive data that can contribute to true national security.  And, as part of good nonprofit governance, information should be shared with donors and the public.  However, governments should also be obligated to provide the public with information and data on government activities.  While some federal government agencies do a decent job of providing program information, until recently, it has been difficult to obtain and decipher data on government budgets and spending.  Fortunately, thanks to several nonprofit government watchdogs, Internet resources are now available to shed “sunshine” on all parts of the federal government.

What does all this information have to do with advocacy?  A lot, according to Alan Rosenblatt, founder of the Internet Advocacy Roundtable, which helps the advocacy community use digital technology more effectively.  “Advocacy depends on knowing what the government is doing,” Rosenblatt told his Roundtable colleagues recently.  Learning about the inner workings of government can assist groups in formulating public policy positions, proposing funding recommendations and keeping tabs on government rhetoric versus action.  It’s also helpful to know who is funding political campaigns and therefore, who might have the ear of elected officials.

Helpful web resources include the following:

www.governmentdocs.org – users can browse, search and review documents acquired through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and other public disclosures.

www.maplight.org – provides a sophisticated analysis using three data sets: bill texts and legislative voting records; bill supporters and opponents and campaign contributions data to connect the dots between money and politics.

www.fedspending.org – includes a free, searchable database on federal government spending from FY 2000 through FY 2007.

www.louisdb.org – aims to provide comprehensive, cross-referenced documents from the executive and legislative branches.  The Library of Unified Information Services (LOUIS) website, launched by the Sunlight Foundation, has a fully searchable format of several sets of federal documents, including Congressional Record, Federal Register, presidential documents, GAO Reports, etc.

www.opensecrets.org – allows users to track contributions to political candidates by industry, major donors, 527 committees and other categories.

www.opencongress.org – provides information from a variety of official government sites, along with news and blog coverage.

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Resolve to Advance Advocacy

January 10, 2008 at 1:39 pm · Filed under Uncategorized

It’s not too late to make another resolution – to make your government relations and lobbying program more active in 2008.

While most of the media attention is focused on the upcoming presidential election, lots of other activity is also happening in the public policy arena.  Given the many serious issues facing the federal government, states and local communities, it is critical that nonprofit organizations monitor and get actively engaged in helping shape public policy.  Regardless of what issues are important to your mission – health, education, environment, jobs, immigration, etc – they will be looked at in many jurisdictions from budgetary and policy perspectives.  The voices of those who care about these issues and who are knowledgeable need to be heard.

Not sure how to move your advocacy forward?  Several national organizations sponsor excellent training seminars and provide guidance materials to make advocacy easy.  One group, the Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest (CLPI) provides in-person training and “webinars.”  CLPI has a cadre of training fellows throughout the country available to work with your group or coalition.   Visit CLPI’s website www.clpi.org for more information.  In the spirit of disclosure, I am the current CLPI board chair and actively support CLPI’s mission and activities.  Other groups, such as the Alliance for Justice (www.afj.org) also provide helpful advocacy information, including the legalities of nonprofit lobbying at the federal and state levels. 

There’s no excuse –  make 2008 your organizations year to take action.

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New Year, New Opportunities for Leadership

January 3, 2008 at 5:17 pm · Filed under Uncategorized

Happy 2008 to all readers.  With all the media coverage, polls and pundits, it’s hard to miss that the new year is off to a fast start with the first wave of presidential caucuses and primaries.  We’ll have 10 more months to hear about presidential candidates and the experience, views and agendas each person would bring to the job.  While late night talk show visits, clips on You Tube and celebrity endorsements may have their place, how do we know how each candidate would fare as a “leader”?  What qualifications and traits would help our new president rise above campaign funders, congressional leaders, political party bosses and other interests to truly lead our country?  Must a good leader have run a small state, a large city, a company or helped run the country with a staff of 20?  What of traits like inclusive decision-making, business acumen and not being afraid to take an unpopular stance?  And, what of skills like careful listening, diplomacy and compromise?  Should we also consider the “kitchen cabinets” of presidential candidates – those likely to be named to key White House positions?  How can we get a more complete picture of the candidates beyond 30 second ads, headline news and staged debates?

As you read news clips and view footage from other parts of the world, it is apparent that the United States is not alone in its quest for leadership.  Witness the killing of Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan and post-election rioting in Kenya.  Those with the power and votes are not always the true leaders.

And, what about the continuing war and rebuilding efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan? Will it be possible for indigenous leaders to emerge who can gain the trust of differing tribes and factions?     

Even in the newness of the year, events are unfolding that will influence in-country rulers and worldwide relations.   To what we were often told as children – “winning isn’t everything,” I’ll now add that “leadership is”.  Let us hope that 2008 brings wise leadership committed to meeting local needs and promoting world-wide harmony.

Diane

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In the Spirit of the Season

December 20, 2007 at 10:13 am · Filed under Uncategorized

Here we are on December 20 and for those who celebrate Christmas, time is running out.  As usual, like many folks, I get caught up in ensuring that everyone on my gift list is taken care of, the house is decorated and this year, cookies got baked.  My elderly father looks forward to having his “kids” gather together, so we’ll be packing the car and dog and trekking to Pittsburgh.  Don’t get me wrong, though hectic, I enjoy the holidays.  It’s a great way to connect with family, reminisce about long past times and enjoy good food and wine.

But, every once in a while, a heart warming story breaks through my personal “to do” list and gives me pause.  Today, a story making the rounds on the web about a coincidental mother and son reunion did just that.  In Michigan, a 45-year old woman and a 22-year old man, co-workers in the same Lowe’s store, recently found out that they were mother and son.  The woman had given up her son for adoption shortly after his birth and the son was adopted by a caring family.   A few years ago, the son began searching for his birth mother with the support of his adoptive parents.   Initially thwarted in his efforts because of a misspelled name, the son eventually learned where his birth mother lived and worked.  As the mother said at their reunion, “It’s a perfect time of year.  It’s the best Christmas present ever.”

Wishing all readers happy surprises this holiday season.

Diane

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No Way to Fund a Country

December 17, 2007 at 2:55 pm · Filed under Uncategorized

Here we are again, edging toward the end of 2007 and the Congress and the President still haven’t finalized most federal agency budgets.  In fact, they’ve only completed one – defense dept.  The government is limping along on “continuing resolutions” aimed at keeping programs going and avoiding government shut down.  What’s the problem?  Why does this keep happening?

The challenges in forging agreements between Congress and the White House are not new.  Many individual appropriations bills have not been enacted over the course of decades.  From my perspective, what makes the problem so difficult this year is the “my way or the highway” approach that the White House has taken.  No matter that the country spoke last year and elected Democrats to majorities in the House and Senate and no matter that President Bush is a lame duck entering his last year of office.  He continues to push his ideological agenda of increasing war spending and cutting domestic programs.  Democrats, on the other hand, are pressing for programs they believe are important.  Yet, it is they who are being forced to back down and give in.  Where are the checks and balances in that?

Until we have a meeting of minds, or at least serious negotiations and compromise, many critical programs will continue in uncertainty.  People without heat need help, farmers need drought assistance, more people need housing and food and veterans need ongoing medical services.  This is what the Congress and White House can’t agree on.  Doesn’t make sense that the President won’t support necessary funding for these programs.

In this season of hope and charity, let us encourage our elected officials to think beyond political rhetoric and do what’s right and necessary for the health and well-being of all our citizens.  

Diane

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